Swelling Under a Cairn Terrier's Eye That Burst and Bled

A swelling under the eye that comes up overnight and then drains blood and thick fluid is often an abscess. In dogs, a common cause is an infected upper tooth root, usually the large upper cheek tooth, whose roots sit just below the eye. Please don't squeeze it any more.

She should see a vet within a day, or the same day if it keeps bleeding or she seems unwell. A tooth root abscess usually needs the tooth treated or removed, otherwise it tends to come back. The vet can also check the eye itself, since she scratched at it.

Our page on dog eye infections covers other causes of eye swelling.

This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.